Synthesizers

FEI-Elcom Tech, Inc. is the leader in developing solutions that provide the lowest phase noise and fastest switching speed in the RF and microwave synthesizer industry. Our technology has been widely adopted by tier one aerospace and defense companies for applications in airborne and seaborne environments.

These include ECM (Electronic Counter Measure), ESM (Electronic Support Measure), (SAR) Synthetic Aperture Radar, and communications with airborne or earth-based command and control. Our innovative products routinely outperform the competition on a wide range of platforms including airborne fighter, cargo aircraft, rotary wing aircraft, UAV, and maritime naval applications.

Additional synthesizer options include:

  • Smaller foot prints
  • Reduced weight
  • Lower power consumption

UFS-18

Elcom’s UFS family of microwave synthesizers meets today’s most demanding testing needs found in the laboratory, on production lines, and in system development and maintenance. The UFS delivers an unsurpassed combination of ultra fast switching speed, extremely low phase noise, low spurious, and wide frequency tuning range with small frequency step size. Technical Data Sheet

The basic advanced direct analog frequency synthesizer architecture provides for ultra fast switching speeds. This is complemented by a high speed direct digital synthesizer (DDS) subsystem implemented within the fastest available COTS FPGA. The DDS subsystem provides for small frequency step size with low spurious. Proprietary fixed frequency, low-phase noise PLL technology for the internal fixed frequency sources, along with the lowest phase noise VHF OCXO commercially available, yields extremely low phase noise.

Application of the latest semiconductor technologies for microwave and digital circuitry reduces parts count and reduces power dissipation, leading to high system MTBF. The standard configuration for the UFS is a rack-mount instrument, however, its modular internal layout facilitates configuration of the system to meet a limitless range of special custom synthesizer requirements for packaging and performance.

APPLICATIONS: EW Simulation, Frequency Agile Radar,
ATE Systems, SIGINT, Radar Cross Section

FEATURES

  • 300 MHz to 18.0 GHz coverage with 1 Hz tuning resolution
    and +10 dBm output level
  • Spurious 65 dBc
  • 250 nanosecond switching speed
  • Parallel BCD interface for high speed
  • Ability to lock to an external 10 MHz and/or 100MHz reference,
    and exact synchronization to the external reference. Note that
    many competitive designs exhibit a synchronization error due to
    digital round-off. This makes for an output frequency error anywhere
    from a fraction of one Hz to several Hz when locked to an external reference.

AIRBORNE SIMULATION PLATFORMS

  • Our UFS products are used extensively throughout the world in ATE systems for testing of LRU’s and EW Simulation Systems used by Military Aircraft.
  • Our synthesizers can be found in applications supporting the operational mission performance of the F-15, F-16, F-18, E2D, F-22, F-35 and B-2.
  • Additionally we also manufacture other instrumentation used in the testing requirements of the B-52.

OPTIONAL FEATURES AVAILABLE
The architecture of the UFS has been developed to provide various high-level as well as basic optional functions. These include:

  • Full band phase coherency. For some applications, this feature allows one synthesizer to serve the role of multiple units, providing a major reduction in cost of ownership.
  • 3 GHz IF Loop. The user can apply I/Q or vector modulation in line with this signal to convert the UFS into a synthesized up/down converter with little or no degradation in performance over the entire operating frequency. IF bandwidths are available up to +/- 100MHz. See Option Bulletin OPT 113B for details.
  • Fast externally controlled digital attenuator, 0-30 dB in 0.5 dB steps
  • Pulse modulation

VPXDFS-2000

The VPXDFS-2000 is a conceptual 3U VPX module of our rugged DFS-2000 unit. Please contact us for a quote and timeline for delivery. 

FEATURES 

  • 0.625 to 20 GHz in a Single Module (14 cubic inches) 
  • Ultra-Low Phase Noise (-120 dBc, 200 KHz offset from 20 GHz signal)  
  • -150 dBc Wide Band Noise Floor  
  • 10 Microseconds Max tuning Speed (For faster speeds contact factory)  
  • Close in Spurious ± 100 MHz < -65 dBc  
  • Step Resolution Options From 10 MHz to 1 Hz  
  • List and Trigger Sweep  
  • Small Size Single Module: 5.95 x 3.65 x 0.75 Inches 
  • 3U SOSA Aligned VPX Version Available  
  • Optional Harmonic Filter Module available 
  • Wide FM Chirp, On Pulse FM Modulation
  • Accurate digital frequency synthesis
  • Output phase coherent to the reference and coherent switching

APPLICATIONS

  • System Calibration Source  
  • EW / SIGINT Receivers  
  • Radar Test  
  • Flight Line Testers   
  • Instrumentation  

Technical Data Sheet

VPXDFS-2000 


VMESG-2000 Synthesizer

The VMESG-2000 Frequency Synthesizer was designed to produce microwave
signals from 2 to 20 GHz with a high degree of frequency accuracy, spectral purity, frequency resolution and agility. These signals may be controlled in amplitude and can be pulse modulated. The VMESG synthesized source is based on indirect PLL technology optimized for fast tuning and low phase noise. Elcom’s VCO/PLL design approach realizes much faster switching speeds, superior microphonic performance, lower phase noise, and lower power consumption than traditional designs.

The product is designed to be installed in VME64x chassis/back plane that is compliant with ANSI/VITA1.1.and to operate in VME64x bus environment. These instruments are excellent choices for use in automated test systems to provide the primary test stimulus, or to provide a local oscillator (LO) signal.

WIDE FREQUENCY RANGE: 2.0 to 20 GHz
FAST TUNING: 10 usec
APPLICATIONS: ATE, EW, SIGINT, ELINT, RADAR systems in which broadband coverage, low phase noise, fast switching speeds, and high reliability is of primary importance.

FEATURES

  • Broad Frequency Bandwidth: 2 to 20 GHz
  • 10 usec Tuning Speed
  • -150 dBc/Hz Phase Noise Floor
  • -60 dBc Close In Spurious
  • Low Phase Noise: -112 dBc/ Hz at 10 KHz Offset, at 20 GHz
VMEG-2000


Technical Data Sheet

VMESG-2000


Rugged High Performance Modules

FEI-Elcom Tech is the leader in developing solutions that provide the lowest phase noise and fastest switching speed in the RF and microwave synthesizer industry. Our technology has been widely adopted by tier one aerospace and defense companies for applications in airborne and seaborne environments. These include ECM (Electronic Counter Measure), ESM (Electronic Support Measure), (SAR) Synthetic Aperture Radar, and communications with airborne or earth-based command and control.

Our innovative products routinely outperform the competition on a wide range of platforms including airborne fighter, cargo aircraft, rotary wing aircraft, UAV, and maritime naval applications.

Additional Elcom features include:

  • smaller foot prints
  • reduced weight
  • lower power consumption
rs 1000

Technical Data Sheets